Love's Ambition
by Yamirenamon
Summary: Down on his bottom luck, Valmont tries to steal the talismans. But he manages to take only one of them - The Tiger. But with the help of the talisman Valmont is given the opportunity at something more valuable than lost treasure. Jackie/Valmont
1. Chapter 1 Same Difference

**Same Difference**

He couldn't stand to be away for much longer. His face, his voice, the memory of Jackie haunted him. Everything was in ruin; it was in ruin by his doing.

"…V?..."

He couldn't let Chan get away with this.

"Big V?!"

He had to come back, just to spite him.

"What are you doing here? You're bleeding!"

Valmont was on the floor, sitting on his knees. His breath was slow, but heavy. He stared at the empty room, unaware of the blood on his right sleeve.

"What did you do?" Finn carefully picked up the injured arm.

The clothing was torn, shards of glass sunk deep into his skin. And in his hand he held something, a talisman.

"You didn't!"

Valmont turned to look at the magical item with minimal interest. And without a word he dropped it. The talisman hit the ground where all could see that it was the Tiger.

"I couldn't get the rest. I had to get out before they caught me," Valmont finally spoke.

"But," Finn said, "couldn't you have broken into the case with something else besides your bare arm?"

The British man flinched at the now conscious pain when Finn tried to remove a piece of glass from the arm.

"I'll be fine," he said, pulling his arm out of the other man's grasp.

By his appearance Valmont looked like he hadn't been 'fine' in a long time. His hair had grown slightly longer and was very unkempt. And he looked as if he hadn't shaved in a week. His green suit was dirty and worn out, torn in a few places with a few seams had come undone. But his eyes, pretty blue eyes, looked like they were robbed of sleep and probably his sanity.

"Wow boss," Ratso picked up the stained talisman, "Of all the talismans you could have stolen, you got this one."

Valmont quickly snatched the item back with his uninjured arm.

"Chan will have to pry it from my dead, cold hands!"

Suddenly, the talisman lit up. The light traced the animal figures and it split into two pieces. The former henchmen were thrown off a bit by the magical force and blinding light.

"Er…boss?"

"What!"

"I think I need a doctor."

Dark Valmont began quickly removing the debris from his arm while his Light just stared at his wounds in shock.

"Woah, déjà vu," said Ratso.

The trio had no clue how to fix this problem as none of them had ever used the Tiger Talisman. Once Dark Valmont cleaned up most of his arm he got up and started to head out.

"Where are you going boss?" Chow asked, keeping his distance as he remembered how Jackie's Dark side behaved.

"None of your business."

"You're going to get the rest of the talismans," his Light said, watching him walk further away, "And…"

"And deal with Chan, for the last time."

"No, you can't do that. First of all stealing is wrong. And…"

Dark Valmont stopped at Light V's words.

"Don't you say it!" he glared back to his other side.

"You know why you can't kill Jackie," Light V's voice trembled.

"Say it and I'll kill you!" Dark Valmont started to make his way back.

"I love him."

Right at that moment Dark Valmont jumped his Light.

"Big V!"

Valmont had his other side pinned down to the ground, his left hand firmly around his Light's neck and his right hitting any and every reachable part of his body.

"I told you to shut your mouth!"

Light Valmont tried to get his Dark side off him, but his struggle to breathe took away most of his strength. And with each blow his body reflexively paused his breathing in pain. It took the effort of all three of the shocked onlookers to pry their boss off his Light side. Dark Valmont landed one final hit across his Light's face, splattering blood from his mouth onto the floor. Finn rushed over to check on Light Valmont while Chow and Ratso continued to hold Dark Valmont back.

"He's not breathing!" Finn began to panic.

"You should have left well alone!" Dark V shouted, not caring if his Light couldn't hear him.

Wiping the blood off Valmont's mouth, Finn started mouth-to-mouth. Just in a matter of seconds Light V woke up, coughing up some blood before going unconscious again. Too preoccupied in reviving his Light, Finn didn't notice at first that Dark Valmont had fought off Ratso and Chow and escaped from the building.

"Do we get him back?" Ratso asked.

"Not now!" Finn tried to pick up the taller, injured man, "We need to get this into to the hospital!"


	2. Chapter 2 Consolation

**Consolation**

"Woah, he tore this place up real bad," Jade said as she stared at the inside of Uncle's Rare Finds.

Uncle called Jackie earlier when Valmont demanded to know where Jackie was. Unsatisfied with Jackie's absence he destroyed a number of fragile valuables before Toru was able to drive him away.

"Are you alright, Uncle?" Jackie asked.

"Uncle is fine, but his antiques are ruined!"

A few minutes into helping clean up the mess Jackie got another phone call, this time from Captain Black.

"I'm on my way," Jackie said before hanging up, "They just found Valmont. Stay here and help finish cleaning the shop, Jade."

"Aww..."  
_  
'Why is he in the hospital?'_

Jackie met the Enforcers at the Intensive Care Unit. They filled him in on the story and with Light Valmont's grim appearance Jackie realized it was his Dark half that went rampant in Uncle's shop. His Light was still unconscious in that bed, bruises covering his skin in various places. Though the only part of his body that was bandaged was his right forearm.

"His other self took off with the other part of the talisman," Finn said as he handed Jackie half of the Tiger Talisman.

"So that's why he was meaner than usual."

"Jade!" Jackie turned to see his niece, "You should be helping Uncle and Toru."

"I did. So now I'm here."

As always there was no use in arguing with her.

"Just the Tiger?" Jade said as she and Jackie both made their way back to Section 13.

"Captain Black said all the other talismans are still in the vault."

"But he was right there! Why not take all of them?"

"Exactly," Jackie replied, studying the half talisman.

He wouldn't have thought anymore of it beside the fact that he knew first hand the conflict his own sides caused in the past. But Valmont's situation ended up far more serious than his own. Light V became responsive the following day, but remained asleep for most hours.  
"The patients don't have much to do, and they tire of watching TV real fast," the nurse said.

For the past few hours Jackie had already been there Valmont had been sleeping soundly. When the nurse turned on the main room light he was immediately stirred.

"No..." he grumbled softly, pulling the thin, tacky sheets over his head, "Five more minutes."

"You have a visitor," the nurse said as she tried to pull the sheets back down.

"You can't make me," he pulled them back near his face.

"Uh...Valmont?" Jackie said, slightly confused by his speech.

"It's probably the drugs talking," the nurse continued as she finally got the sheets away from the drowsy man's grasp.

"If you want to you can help me change his bandages."

Only his right arm had any covering so the job was not very difficult. The glass was removed completely, leaving wounds deep enough to scar his skin. But at a more careful look Jackie saw faint scars that already existed. They were not a part of the jagged and random cuts the glass left. But they were long and straight cuts, all parallel to each other.  
_  
'You've been cutting yourself,'_ Jackie spoke to him mentally, _'The talisman...an inner struggle became an outer, physical one.'_

The nurse didn't take long to replace the gauze pads and rewrap his arm. But Valmont had already fallen back asleep before they were finished. Upon leaving the room the nurse turned off the light with only the table lamp on. Looking at the sleeping British man after just seeing those scars, Jackie now felt even more concerned. He would have left sooner if only he could actually speak to Valmont. Imagining if he did wake, Valmont would probably be in shame to be seen wearing a cheap, borrowed gown. His hair was still a mess but now out of its ponytail.

"Please tell me what happened," Jackie whispered, resting his arms on the bed railing.

"Sir," another nurse lightly shook Jackie's shoulder, "Sir, wake up."

Jackie had fallen asleep at the edge of the bed. He guessed that a few hours had passed for he was sore from the position he had slept. He also found Valmont still asleep but a little closer to the side of the bed. As if he was drawn subconsciously to Jackie, Valmont's fingers were lightly entwined with Jackie's hand that had slumped over the railing. The blushing Chinese man quickly yet carefully drew back his arm.

"I can get another bed in here if you want to stay the night," the nurse smiled.

"Oh that's alright," Jackie quickly replied, "I'll just come back tomorrow."


	3. Chapter 3 The Healer

**The Healer**

A full week passed and Light Valmont was now being released from the hospital. He still looked as terrible as the day he was admitted and his wounds still needed to be cared for. Valmont was no longer in a life-threatening state in accordance to the hospital, but to Jackie he was being released from the safety of that building. Valmont's Yin had not been spotted by anyone since the incident at Uncle's shop, but he was still a threat. With that in mind Jackie thought it best that Light V stayed under Section 13's supervision.

"What are you doing here?!" Jade said when she found the wanted criminal sitting alone in Jackie's room.

"Hello Jade," Valmont said with a broken smile.  
_  
'Oh, right!'_ Jade thought as she remembered Valmont had used the Tiger Talisman.

"Oh! I'll be right back!" Jade ran out of the room with an epiphany.

She returned just as quickly and handed Valmont another talisman.

"Jade! You shouldn't take things that don't belong to you."

Jackie came into the room a few moments later.

"They didn't find much but I brought what they could find at your...Bwah!" Jackie said, dropping the suitcase he was holding.

Jade and Valmont had stopped quarreling over the talisman when he entered the room. Jackie was sure that it was Dark V who was staring back at him for there wasn't a single scratch on him.

"Hand over the talisman!" Jackie warned him, ready to attack.

"Wait! Jackie!" Jade jumped from her spot.

Valmont cautiously put forth his hand towards Chan, the Horse Talisman in his palm.

"I told her she shouldn't be taking the talismans from the vault," he said sheepishly.

Jackie calmly retrieved the talisman realizing that it was still Light Valmont. The bruises left his skin and even though the bandage remained wrapped around his arm Jackie figured that his cuts had healed as well.

"He's right, Jade," Jackie said, "You shouldn't be taking the talismans from the vault."

"But I just did you a favor!"

"I know you ment well, but I could have hurt him. For a moment there I thought he was the darker side."

Jade was to return the talisman and to not bother Valmont too much in the future.

"I don't mind her company," Valmont was still seated on the extra bed that had been put in the room earlier that day.

This time it was Jackie who was thrown off by the passive behavior Light V displayed.

"Your men brought your things," Jackie returned to what he meant to say at first.

Valmont browsed through the inside of the small suitcase. It didn't contain much, there were mostly personal necessities. A few articles of clothing were packed as well and all of them looked as tattered and worn out as his suit. Jackie feared that they might be his best if not his only possessions. Jackie searched through his own clothing trying to find anything Valmont could borrow. He didn't own many collared shirts so it was a challenge trying to find one. There was probably a reason why Valmont never wore white, so a deep burgundy shirt would have to do. Lending one of his shirts didn't bother Jackie, but he kind of hoped that he wouldn't have to do the same with one of his pants. An image of the Brit wearing a pair of his own pants in a suggestive pose flashed in Jackie's mind. The color rushed to his face as he tried to get rid od the sudden thought.  
_  
'He'll just have to keep them,'_ Jackie decided.

He returned to the bedroom and found that Valmont had disappeared from his spot on the bed.

"Valmont?" Jackie searched the area for the missing man.

Jackie spotted him through the half-open door of the bathroom. Light V stood infront of the mirror, now shirtless and unwrapping the bandage on his arm. Jackie quickly hid behind the door embarrassed by the close encounter.

"Jackie?" Valmont peeked from the other side of the door, "I wanted to wash up if it's alright."

"Sure. Go ahead," Jackie couldn't help but stare in a rather awkward way, "You can borrow these."

"Thanks," the blonde took the neatly folded pile of clothes then looked back at Jackie who was still staring, "Is something wrong?"

"No! Everything's fine!" Jackie said rather quickly.

"OK then," Valmont said before shutting the door.

Jackie slid against the wall, sinking to the floor.  
_  
'That was too close'_ his mind raced.

He was caught in a state where all unrestrained and uncensored thoughts were near impossible to expel. Jackie couldn't see himself but he was sure that his face was flush all over. His breath was deep but silent as he tried to calm his panic-stricken heart. Jackie was thankful Jade didn't see him in this strange condition. He wanted to get up and preoccupy himslef with a chore. But the sound of the falling water from the shower beckoned his to stay. Jackie successfully calmed himself, all of himself, after a few minutes had passed. But when the water had stopped he felt the anxiety start again. This time Jackie got up, not wanting to be caught in the same spot after so long.

"Hey Jackie," Jade called from behind her uncle.

"Bwah!" Jackie jumped in alarm, patting his chest.

"Are you OK?"

"You just scared me is all," he turned to face her.

Except when he did so Jade looked past him.

"Are you wearing jeans?"

Jackie turned back to see Valmont was out of the bathroom. His platinum hair was still damp and had left some wet spots on the shoulders and back of the burgundy shirt. His face was also cleanly shaved. Valmont looked down at his new wardrobe and said, "Well I don't think khaki would match this shirt."

"Those are Jackie's clothes?!" Jade shouted.

Jackie felt that he could die right then and there.

"It's only temporary," the Chinese man tried to redeem himself.


End file.
